Roll-up blind



Dec. 2, 1958 E. T. SMYTHE 2,862,551

ROLL-UP BLIND Filed Marh 21, 1955 IrA/ENTOR: EDWIN T SNYTHE 5/ QTTOE m s.

United States Patent craft Venetian Blind Manufacturing Company of St. Louis, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application March 21, 1955, Serial No. 495,738 2 Claims. (Cl. 160-231) The present invention relates generally to blinds, and more particularly to a novel roll-up blind having overlapping parallel slats. V

Briefly, the invention comprises a novel combination of horizontal slats and retaining cords which provides complete screening in a blind of the roll-up type. It is recognized, of course, that the ordinary Venetian blind provides slats which may be overlapped for complete screening, but the arrangement is not one which enables the blind to be rolled. It is also recognized, on the other hand, that so-called porch blinds employing parallel slats in an arrangement permitting roll-up have been previously known. The latter type of blind, however, does not provide complete screening due to cracks or spaces between adjacent slats.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to

provide a novel. roll-up blind which produces a complete screening effect.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel roll-up blind which employs parallel slats extending the full width of the blind.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel roll-up blind employing parallel slats, said slats having a generally arcuate cross section.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel roll-up blind in which parallel slats are retained in assembled relation by means of parallel, non-twisted cords.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel roll-up blind construction in which the edges of the slats are notched for receiving the connecting cords.

The foregoing, along with additional objects and advantages, will be apparent from the following description :taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a roll-up blind :conforming to the teachings of the present invention, the lower end of the blind being cut off to conserve :space .on the drawing;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a central portion of the blind of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a portion of the blind as viewed from the opposite side from Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a further enlarged sectional view taken ggenerally along the line 4-4 in Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged view showing a fragmentary portion of an individual slat viewed from its concave :side.

Referring to the drawing more the use of reference characters, the numeral 10 desig- Lnates generally a roll-up blind constructed in accord- .ance with the teachings of the present invention. The blind 10 includes a conventional spring roller 12 to which is secured a slat assembly 14.

As clearly illustrated in the drawing, the slat assembly 14 comprises a plurality of identical slats 16 retained :in parallel assembled relation by means of cords 18 and particularly through way of illustration and example,

2,862,551 Patented Dec. 2, 1958 20. The cords 18 and 20 are arranged in spaced pairs comprising one cord 18 and one cord 20, it being understood, ho wever, that the individual cords may be of the same material.- M I i I Eac of the slats is formed to a generally arcuate cross section as clearly depicted in Figure 4. In addition, each of the slats 16 has its opposite longitudinal edges notched out as indicated at 22. It will be noted that the notches 22 are directly opposite each other, and are also spaced longitudinally of the individual slats 16 in accordance with the desired spacing of the cords 18 and 20.

As is clear from the illustrations of Figures 2, 3 and 4, the paired cords 18 and 20 are woven so as to pass alternately over and under adjacent slats and so that one of the cords 18 or 20 is disposed over the front, as well as the back, of each slat. Additionally, it will be observed that neither of the cords 18 nor 20 twists about the other, but that, on the contrary they appear to be'disposed in parallel relation when viewed from either the front, as in Figure 2, or from the back, as in Figure 3. Thus arranged, the cords 18 and 20 occupy the notches 22 substantially in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 4. From this latter figure it will be observed that the arcuate shape of the slats 16 enables one of the cords 18 or 20 to pass smoothly over the convex front side of the slat, but to span the concave back side between the notches 22 in the opposite edges of the slat. This arrangement prevents any tendency of the cords 18 and 20 to become displaced when the slat assembly 14 is extended, and at the same time provides automatic tensioning of the cords 18 and 20 for either the extended or rolled condition.

The material from which the slats 16 are formed will preferably be determined by the use for which the blind is desired. Opaque material such as sheet metal, or translucent material such as plastics constitute but two examples of thealmost endless variety that may be employed.

Although the slat assembly bination with the spring rollers 12, it is, of course, apparent that it could be used alone, or in other combinations which might call for it to be rolled up from the 14 is illustrated in com- .bottom as contrasted to the illustrated top roll.

Clearly, there has been described a roll-up blind which fulfills the objects and advantages sought therefor.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing have been given only by and that changes, rearrangements and substitutions which will be obvious to those skilled in the pertinent art are contemplated 'as being within the scope of the invention, which is limited only by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In a roll-up blind, in combination, a plurality of identical slats, each slat being in the form of an elongated strip having an arcuate transverse cross section, and a plurality of cords interwoven with said slats in a manner to provide longitudinal resiliency in the combination, said slats being disposed with their convex sides facing the same way and being arranged in consecutively overlapped parallel relationship, said cords being arranged in cooperating pairs, each cord of a pair passing alternately over a convex side and a concave side of the consecutively abutting slats so as to embrace individual arcuate cross sections of successive slats between one cord disposed flush against the convex surface of the slat and another cord spanning the concave surface of the same slat.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein a longitudinal edge of one slat abuts the convex surface of an adjacent slat, the several slats being provided with opposed notches in each of ,their longitudinal edges for accommoda n o he rds betwee thepvcr apn d ,s a

References Cited 1111116 file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kinnear Dec. 16, 1902 4 Richardson Sept. 22, 1931 ,St Q

194 19 .12 2 Steffen Feb. 28, 1933 Simon Dec. 27, 1955 Chenier June 5, 1956 F OREIQN PATENTS Grea t Brit ain Mar. 12, 1952 Switzerland Aug. 16, 1952 

